Battery terminal and method of assembling it

ABSTRACT

A battery terminal (A) includes a terminal main body ( 10 ). Left and right fastening pieces ( 36 ) are formed on the terminal main body ( 10 ) and are deformable to be held in close contact with an outer periphery of a battery post (P). A cam member ( 51 ) have left and right pressing surfaces ( 56 ) capable of pressing outer side edges of the pair of fastening pieces ( 36 ) and are inclined with respect to an axis line of the battery post (P). Fastening members (fastening bolt ( 58 ) and nut ( 61 )) vertically displace the cam member ( 51 ) with the pressing surfaces ( 56 ) held in contact with the outer side edges of the fastening pieces ( 36 ). Inclination restricting portions ( 16 ) are formed on the terminal main body ( 10 ) and restrict lateral inclination of the cam member ( 51 ). The cam member ( 51 ) is slidable in contact with the inclination restricting portions ( 16 ).

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a battery terminal and to a method ofassembling it to a battery post.

2. Description of the Related Art

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-184389 discloses abattery terminal with a terminal main body, a bracket, a bolt and a nut.The terminal main body includes a lower part to be fit externally to abattery post and an upper part also to be fit externally to the batterypost. The bracket has inclined surfaces fit to fastening pieces formedon each of the upper and lower parts. When the bolt and the nut arefastened, the fastening pieces come closer to the inclined surfaces ofthe bracket and are fastened to the outer periphery of the battery post.

The above-described battery terminal has no means for stabilizing theposture of the bracket. Thus, the bracket may incline in the process offastening the bolt and the nut. If the bracket is inclined, thefastening pieces cannot be held in close contact with the battery posteven if the bolt and the nut are fastened. This obstructs an operationof the connecting the battery terminal to the battery post.

The present invention was completed based on the above situation andaims to improve connection operability to a battery post.

SUMMARY

The invention relates to a battery terminal with a terminal main body.Left and right fastening pieces formed on the terminal main body anddeformable to be held in close contact with an outer periphery of abattery post. The battery terminal also has a cam member with left andright pressing surfaces capable of pressing outer side edges of thefastening pieces and inclined with respect to an axis line of thebattery post. The battery terminal further has a fastening memberconfigured to displace the cam member substantially along the axis linewith the pressing surfaces held in contact with the outer side edges ofthe fastening pieces. At least one inclination restricting portion isformed on the terminal main body and is capable of restricting lateralinclination of the cam member. The cam member is slidable in contactwith the inclination restricting portion.

Two of the inclination restricting portions may be provided to sandwichthe cam member from substantially opposite lateral sides. According tothis configuration, the inclination of the cam member can be restrictedreliably.

The battery terminal may include a vertical receiving surface formed onthe inclination restricting portion, and the cam member may be slidablein contact with the vertical receiving surface. According to thisconfiguration, the inclination of the cam member can be restrictedreliably by causing the cam member to slide in contact with the verticalreceiving surface.

The battery terminal may include a vertical contact surface formed onthe cam member and slidable substantially in contact with theinclination restricting portion. According to this configuration, theinclination of the cam member can be restricted reliably by causing thevertical contact surface to slide substantially in contact with theinclination restricting portion.

The battery terminal may include vertical walls formed on the cam memberto be connected to the pressing surfaces and slidable substantially incontact with the outer side edges of the fastening pieces. According tothis configuration, in the process of displacing the cam member by thefastening member, the vertical walls slide substantially in contact withthe outer side edges of the fastening pieces before the fastening piecesare pressed by the pressing surfaces. As a result, the pressing surfacespress the fastening pieces while being kept in a proper positionalrelationship.

The battery terminal may include a first member to be fit to the batterypost having the axis line while being positioned with respect to thebattery post. A second member arranged adjacent to the first member. Theone or more fastening pieces may be formed only on the second member andmay be deformable to be held in close contact with an outer periphery ofthe battery post. The fastening means can deform the fastening pieces sothat the fastening pieces are held in close contact with the batterypost.

The second member may include a conductor connecting portion forconnecting an external conductor and a coupling portion for coupling theconductor connecting portion and one or more base end portions of theone or more fastening pieces. The first member may be joined to thecoupling portion with movements restricted.

The first member may be formed with a support for allowing the fasteningpieces to be deformed in directions to be held in close contact with thebattery post and/or supporting the fastening pieces with relativedisplacements substantially along the axial line restricted.

The support may have a supporting plate formed with a rotationpreventing portion to which the fastening means can be fit with rotationrestricted.

An area of the fastening piece to be brought into contact with the outerperiphery of the battery post may be formed with a peripheral wallextending substantially along the axial line.

The battery terminal may include a fastening means configured todisplace the cam member substantially along the axis line with the oneor more pressing surfaces held substantially in contact with one or moreof the outer side edges of the fastening pieces. The fastening piece maybe formed with an arcuate surface slidable in contact with the pressingsurface.

The fastening piece may include a base plate, a folded portion connectedto an outer side edge of the base plate and having the arcuate surfaceand a reinforcing plate formed by extending the folded portion andplaced on the base plate.

The battery terminal may include a supporting plate formed on theterminal main body and configured to support the fastening pieces.Lateral rotation preventing portions may extending from one or morelateral outer side edges of the supporting plate and may be configuredso that the fastening means is fit thereto with rotation restricted. Oneor more bulging portions may project laterally out from areas of the oneor more lateral outer side edges of the supporting plate where therotation preventing portions are not formed and may be configured tosupport the one or more fastening pieces. The fastening piece may becantilevered substantially forward. The bulging portion may be arrangedsubstantially at the same position as a contact position of thefastening piece with the cam member in a front-back direction.

The invention also relates to a method of assembling a battery terminal,such as the above-described battery terminal. The method may include (a)forming a terminal main body of the battery terminal with two lateralfastening pieces; (b) arranging a cam member having two lateral pressingsurfaces inclined with respect to an axis line of the battery post; (c)mounting a fastening member to substantially displace the cam memberalong the axis line with the pressing surfaces held substantially incontact with the outer side edges of the fastening pieces, so that outerside edges of the fastening pieces are pressed and deformed to be heldin close contact with an outer periphery of the battery post, whilerestricting lateral inclination of the cam member by means of at leastone inclination restricting portion formed on the terminal main body.Thus, the cam member slides substantially in contact with theinclination restricting portion.

According to the above, since the inclination of the cam member isrestricted by the inclination restricting portion, the pair of pressingsurfaces properly press the outer side edges of the pair of fasteningpieces. This causes the pair of fastening pieces to be held properly insubstantially close contact with the outer periphery of the batterypost. Thus, operability in connection to the battery post is excellent.

These and other features of the invention will become more apparent uponreading the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. Itshould be understood that even though embodiments are describedseparately, single features thereof may be combined to additionalembodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a battery terminal of a firstembodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a terminal main body in an assembledstate.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the battery terminal in an assembledstate.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a state before fastening pieces aredeformed in fastening directions.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a state where the fastening pieces aredeformed in the fastening directions.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the terminal main body.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state where the battery terminal isconnected to a battery post.

FIG. 8 is a section along X-X of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view showing the state before the fastening piecesare deformed in the fastening directions.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view showing the state where the fastening piecesare deformed in the fastening directions.

FIG. 11 is a side view of the terminal main body,

FIG. 12 is a section along Y-Y of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a section along Z-Z of FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is a side view of a lower member.

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the lower member.

FIG. 16 is a front view showing a cam member and inclination restrictingportions in a battery terminal of a second embodiment in a simplifiedmanner.

FIG. 17 is a front view showing a cam member and inclination restrictingportions in a battery terminal of a third embodiment in a simplifiedmanner.

FIG. 18 is a front view showing a cam member and inclination restrictingportions in a battery terminal of a fourth embodiment in a simplifiedmanner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A first embodiment of the present invention is described in detail withreference to FIGS. 1 to 15. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a batteryterminal A of this first embodiment is to be conductively connected to abattery post P having an axis line AL extending in a vertical direction.The battery terminal A includes a terminal main body 10 and a fasteningmeans 50. The terminal main body 10 includes a lower member 11 (as afirst member), an upper member 30 (as a second member) and a connectionbolt 32 (as a connection member). The fastening means 50 includes a cammember 51, a fastening bolt 58 (as a fastening member) and a nut 61 (asa fastening member).

<Lower Member 11>

The lower member 11 is formed into a predetermined shape by applyingfolding, embossing and/or bending and the like to a conductive platematerial particularly made of metal (e.g. iron) punched or cut out intoa predetermined shape. As shown in FIGS. 1, 14 and 15, an annularportion 12 circular in a plan view is formed in a substantially centralpart of the lower member 11 in a front-back direction. The annularportion 12 is formed with a positioning hole 13 that is substantiallycircular in a plan view. An inner diameter of the positioning hole 13 issubstantially equal to a maximum outer diameter of the battery post P.Two bilaterally symmetrical side walls 14 stand up on front end parts(left end parts in FIG. 9) of both left and right outer sides of theannular portion 12.

The side walls 14 are formed with two substantially horizontal andbilaterally symmetrical pressing portions 15 extending inwardly in awidth direction (lateral direction) from the upper edges of the sidewalls 14. The pressing portions 15 function as supports for supportingfastening pieces 36. The side walls 14 are formed with plate-like andsubstantially bilaterally symmetrical inclination restricting portions16 extending substantially forward from the front or distal end edges ofthe side walls 14 to be substantially flush with the side walls 14. Theinner side surface of the inclination restricting portion 16 is asubstantially flat surface extending in the vertical direction(substantially parallel to the axis line AL of the battery post P) andfunctions as a vertical receiving surface 17 for restricting theinclination of the cam member 51.

A supporting plate 18 is formed on a front end part of the lower member11 and is substantially rectangular in a plan view with a substantiallyhorizontal plate surface. The supporting plate 18 functions as a supportfor supporting the fastening pieces 36. The rear end edge of thesupporting plate 18 is connected to the front end edge of the annularportion 12 via a front wall 19. The supporting plate 18 is formed withrotation preventing portions 20 extending down substantially at a rightangle from the front end edge and both left and right side edges of thesupporting plate 18. Likewise, the supporting plate 18 is formed withtwo plate-like and bilaterally symmetrical bulges 21 extending out inthe width direction from rear end parts of both left and right sideedges of the supporting plate 18 to be flush with the supporting plate18. Further, the supporting plate 18 is formed with a through hole 22that is circular in a plan view.

The lower member 11 is formed with a rear wall 23 extending up from therear end edge of the annular portion 12 and a plate-like joining portion24 extending horizontally back from the upper end edge of the rear wall23. The plate-like joining portion 24 is formed with two bilaterallysymmetrical retaining projections 25 projecting out in the widthdirection from rear end parts of both left and right side edge of theplate-like joining portion 24.

<Upper Member 30>

The upper member 30 is formed into a predetermined shape e.g. byapplying folding, embossing and/or bending and the like to a conductiveplate material made of metal (e.g. copper) punched or cut out into apredetermined shape. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 8, a conductorconnecting portion 31 is formed on a rear end part of the upper member30. The conductor connecting portion 31 is formed into a substantiallybox shape and a base of the connection bolt 32 is accommodated in theconductor connecting portion 31. A shaft of the connection bolt 32projects up from the conductor connecting portion 31 and an externalconductor 33 is to be connected to the shaft part of this connectionbolt 32.

The upper member 30 is formed with a horizontal plate-like coupling 34extending forward from the front end edge of the conductor connectingportion 31 to be substantially flush with the conductor connectingportion 31. The coupling 34 is formed with two bilaterally symmetricalcrimping pieces 35 extending down from left and right side edges of thecoupling 34. This coupling 34 and the crimping pieces 35 function as ameans for joining the lower member 11 and the upper member 30.

The upper member 30 is formed with two substantially bilaterallysymmetrical fastening pieces 36 connected to the front end edge of thecoupling 34. Both left and right fastening pieces 36 are connected toeach other at base end portions 37 (rear end portions) thereof and,simultaneously, these base end portions 37 are connected to the coupling34. The fastening piece 36 is composed of or comprises a substantiallysemicircular arm 38 constituting (or forming part of) a base end sidearea and a pressure receiving portion 39 extending forward from thefront end of the arm portion 38.

The left and right arms 38 are arranged to form a substantially circularshape in a plan view and surround the battery post P to sandwich thebattery post P from opposite left and right sides. A space enclosed bythe left and right arms 38 serves as a connection hole 40 foraccommodating the battery post P. Further, the arm 38 is formed with aperipheral wall 41 standing up from the inner side edge (innerperipheral edge) thereof by burring. With the battery terminal Aconnected to the battery post P, the inner side edges (inner peripheraledges) of the arms 38 and the inner peripheral surfaces of theperipheral walls 41 are held firmly in close contact with the outerperiphery of the battery post P.

The pressure receiving portion 39 is composed of or comprises ahorizontal base plate 42 extending forward from a front end part of thearm 38 to be flush with the arm 38, a substantially semicircular foldedportion 43 extending upward from an outer widthwise edge part of thebase plate 42 and a reinforcing plate 44 extending inward in the widthdirection from the folded portion 43 and placed on the upper surface ofthe base plate portion 42. Cuts 46 substantially semicircular in a planview are formed on inner side surfaces (facing surfaces) of the bothleft and right pressure receiving portions 39. A radius of curvature ofthe cut 46 is equal to or slightly larger than that of the outerperiphery of a male screw portion 60 of the fastening bolt 58 to bedescribed later. Further, the outer surface of the folded portion 43 isformed into an arcuate surface 45 having a substantially semicircularshape in a front view. The arcuate surface 45 is connected smoothly(tangentially) to the lower surface of the base plate portion 42 and theupper surface of the reinforcing plate 44.

<Assembled Form of Lower Member 11 and Upper Member 30>

The lower member 11 and the upper member 30 are integrally assembledsuch that the fastening pieces 36 are movable and deformable in thelateral direction (direction intersecting with the axis line of thebattery post P) and positioned with respect to the battery post P.Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 11, the coupling 34 of the uppermember 30 is placed on the upper surface of the plate-like joiningportion 24 of the lower member 11 and, in this state, the pair ofcrimping pieces 35 are deformed to be held in close contact with thelower surface of the plate-like joining portion 24 as shown in FIGS. 9to 12.

In this way, relative displacements of the lower member 11 and the uppermember 30 in the vertical and lateral directions are restricted.Further, the deformed crimping pieces 35 are locked by being sandwichedbetween the rear surface of the rear wall 23 and the front surfaces ofthe retaining projections 25. In this way, relative displacements of thelower member 11 and the upper member 30 in the front-back direction arerestricted. As just described, the plate-like joining portion 24 isjoined to be vertically and firmly sandwiched between tip parts of thepair of crimping pieces 35 and the coupling 34 so that the lower member11 and the upper member 30 are integrated. The crimping pieces 35 andthe coupling 34 are joined to the plate-like joining portion 24 in areasdifferent from the fastening pieces 36 (areas deviated back from thefastening pieces 36).

With the lower member 11 and the upper member 30 assembled, the pressurereceiving portions 39 of the pair of fastening pieces 36 are placed onthe upper surface of the supporting plate 18 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and8. Further, front end parts of the arms 38 of the fastening pieces 36are held in contact with or facing the lower surfaces of the pressingportions 15 while being at a short distance from these lower surfaces.That is, the fastening pieces 36 are supported from below by thesupporting plate 18 so as to be displaceable in the lateral directionwith respect to the lower member 11. Further, large relativedisplacements of the pair of fastening pieces 36 in the verticaldirection with respect to the lower member 11 are restricted by beingsandwiched between the supporting plate 18 and the pressing portions 15.Further, the positioning hole 13 and the connection hole 40 between thefastening pieces 36 are positioned to be substantially coaxial in a planview. The terminal main body 10 is configured by integrating the lowermember 11 and the upper member 30 in this way.

<Fastening Means 50>

The cam member 51 constituting the fastening means 50 is formed into apredetermined shape by applying bending and the like to a metal platematerial having a larger plate thickness than the lower member 11 andthe upper member 30. The cam member 51 is bilaterally symmetricallyshaped and composed or comprised of a horizontal portion 52substantially rectangular in a plan view, a pair of oblique portions 53extending obliquely downward from both left and right side edges of thehorizontal portion 52 and two vertical wall portions 54 extendingdownward from the lower end edges of the both oblique portions 53.

The horizontal portion 52 is formed with an insertion hole 55penetrating in the vertical direction and circular in a plan view. Aninner diameter of the insertion hole 55 is set equal to or slightlylarger than an outer diameter of the male screw portion 60 of thefastening bolt 58. The left and right oblique portions 53 are inclinedto widen a lateral spacing toward a lower side. The inner surfaces ofthe left and right oblique portions 53 serve as pressing surfaces 56inclined with respect to the vertical and lateral directions. The outerside surfaces of the vertical walls 54 serve as vertical contactsurfaces 57.

The fastening bolt 58 constituting the fastening means 50 is a singlepart including a base portion 59 rectangular or polygonal (i.e.non-circular) in a plan view and the male screw portion 60 extendingupward from the base portion 59. The nut 61 constituting or forming partof the fastening means 50 is to be screwed onto the male screw portion60.

Functions of First Embodiment

The cam member 51, the fastening bolt 58 and the nut 61 are temporarilyassembled with the terminal main body 10 in advance before connection tothe battery post P. In temporarily assembling, the male screw portion 60of the fastening bolt 58 is inserted into the through hole 22 from belowthe supporting plate portion 18 and the base 59 is brought into contactwith the lower surface of the supporting plate portion 18 and fitted tothe rotation preventing portions 20 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. In thisway, the fastening bolt 58 is held with the rotation thereof withrespect to the lower member 11 and the upper member 30 restricted.

The cam member 51 is mounted to cover the pair of pressure receivingportions 39 from above before or after the fastening bolt 58 is insertedthrough the supporting plate 18. With the cam member 51 mounted, theleft and right pressure receiving portions 39 are located such that thearcuate surfaces 45 thereof face upper end parts of the inner surfacesof the vertical walls 54 and lower end parts of the pressing surfaces 56as shown in FIG. 4. Further, the vertical walls 54 of the cam member 51are sandwiched between the left and right inclination restrictingportions 16 of the lower member 11 and the vertical contact surfaces 57and the vertical receiving surfaces 17 are held in contact with orfacing each other while being at a short distance from each other.

Further, the male screw portion 60 is inserted through the insertionhole 55 of the cam member 51 and the nut 61 is screwed onto the malescrew portion 60 above the cam member 51. When the nut 61 is fastened byhand until coming into contact with the upper surface of the horizontalportion 52 of the cam member 51, the fastening means 50 is temporarilyassembled with the terminal main body 10. In a temporarily assembledstate, there is no backlash of the cam member 51 with respect to theterminal main body 10 since the cam member 51 is lightly pressed againstthe pressure receiving portions 39 (fastening pieces 36) by thefastening bolt 58 and the nut 61. Further, the posture of the cam member51 is stabilized without being inclined to the left or right since theleft and right pressure receiving portions 39 are in contact with thelower end parts of the left and right pressing surfaces 56.

The battery terminal A with the fastening means 50 temporarily assembledwith the terminal main body 10 is connected or connectable to thebattery post P. In connecting, the annular portion 12 and the fasteningpiece(s) 36 are externally fitted to the battery post P from above orsubstantially along the axial line AL. Then, the positioning hole 13comes into contact with the outer periphery of the battery post P,whereby the terminal main body 10 including the fastening pieces 36 ispositioned with respect to the battery post P in the horizontaldirection.

Thereafter, the nut 61 is tightened using a tool. In the process oftightening the nut 61, the nut 61 displaces the cam member 51 down and,associated with this, the pair of pressing surfaces 56 press thepressure receiving portions 39 (fastening pieces 36) inwardly in thewidth direction (i.e. fastening directions). By this pressing action,the pair of fastening pieces 36 approach each other and the innerperipheral edges of the both arm portions 38 are held in close contactwith the outer periphery of the battery post P to be fastened thereto.In the above manner, the battery terminal A is conductively connected tothe battery post P.

When the fastening pieces 36 are deformed to approach each other, theleft and right vertical contact surfaces 57 of the cam member 51 slidein contact with the left and right vertical receiving surfaces 17 of thelower member 11. Therefore, the posture of the cam member 51 is notinclined left or right. Since this causes the pressing surfaces 56 topress the pair of pressure receiving portions 39 equally in the lateraldirection, the left and right fastening pieces 36 are deformed equallyto be held in close contact with the battery post P. Further, sinceareas of the fastening pieces 36 to be contacted by the pressingsurfaces 56 of the cam member 51 are formed into the arcuate surfaces 45composed or comprised of curved surfaces, contact resistance between thecam member 51 and the fastening pieces 36 is suppressed to be relativelylow. Further, the pressure receiving portion 39 has a high rigiditysince having a double-plate structure in which the base plate 42 and thereinforcing plate 44 are placed one over the other. Thus, the pressurereceiving portion 39 is not improperly deformed even if being subjectedto a pressing force from the cam member 51.

Further, since improper vertical displacements and inclinations of thepair of fastening pieces 36 are restricted by the supporting plateportion 18 and the pressing portions 15, the fastening pieces 36 aredeformed reliably horizontally while being kept in proper postures.Thus, the left and right fastening pieces 36 are held in close contactwith the battery post P at the same height. Further, the bulges 21extending laterally outward are formed on the both left and right sideedge parts of the supporting plate portion 18 and these left and rightbulges 21 also support the fastening pieces 36 from below. In addition,as shown in FIG. 10, these bulges 21 are arranged substantially at thesame position as the contact positions (i.e. rear end parts of thepressure receiving portions 39) of the cam member 51 and the fasteningpieces 36 in the front-back direction. Furthermore, the bulges 21 arearranged at positions near the contact positions of the cam member 51(pressing surfaces 56) and the fastening pieces 36 (arcuate surfaces 45)in the lateral direction. Thus, pressing forces acting on the fasteningpieces 36 from the cam member 51 can be reliably received by the bulges21.

Effects of First Embodiment

As described above, the battery terminal A of this first embodimentincludes the lower member 11 to be fitted to the battery post P havingthe axis line AL extending in the vertical direction while beingpositioned with respect to the battery post P, the upper member 30arranged above the lower member 11 and the pair of fastening pieces 36to be deformed to be held in close contact with the battery post P bythe fastening means 50. The pair of fastening pieces 36 are formed onlyon the upper member 30 out of the lower member 11 and the upper member30. Thus, as compared to the case of deforming the fastening pieces 36formed on both the lower member 11 and the upper member 30, an operationforce required to deform the battery terminal A of this embodiment canbe small. Therefore, operability in connection to the battery post P isexcellent.

Further, the upper member 30 includes the conductor connecting portion31 for connecting the external conductor 33 and the coupling 34 forcoupling the conductor connecting portion 31 and the base ends 37 of thefastening pieces 36. The lower member 11 is joined to the coupling 34with movements thereof restricted. According to this configuration, thefastening pieces 36 can be positioned with respect to the battery postP, wherefore the fastening pieces 36 are not unlikely to be held inclose contact with the battery post P in a non-uniform manner in acircumferential direction. Further, the lower member 11 and the uppermember 30 can be joined without obstructing the deformation of thefastening pieces 36.

Further, the lower member 11 is formed with the supports (supportingplate 18 and pressing portions 15) for allowing the fastening pieces 36to be deformed in directions to be held in close contact with thebattery post P and supporting the fastening pieces 36 with verticalrelative displacements restricted. According to this configuration, theconnecting operation to the battery post P can be reliably performedsince the pair of fastening pieces 36 can be stably deformed at aconstant height. Further, the supporting plate 18 constituting thesupporting portion is formed with the rotation preventing portions 20 towhich the base 59 of the fastening bolt 58 constituting the fasteningmeans 50 is to be fitted with the rotation thereof restricted. Accordingto this configuration, since the supporting plate portion 18 doubles asa base body on which the rotation preventing portions 20 are formed, theshape of the lower member 11 can be simplified as compared to the casewhere the rotation preventing portions 20 are formed on a dedicated partdifferent from the supporting plate portion 18.

Further, since the peripheral walls 41 extending up are formed in theareas of the fastening pieces 36 (inner peripheral edges of the armportions 38) to be brought into contact with the outer periphery of thebattery post P, the fastening pieces 36 (arms 38) are unlikely to biteinto the outer periphery of the battery post P. Thus, the fasteningpieces 36 are fastened to the battery post P stably in thecircumferential direction.

Further, the battery terminal A of this first embodiment includes theterminal main body 10 and the terminal main body 10 is formed with theleft and right fastening pieces 36 deformable to be held in closecontact with the outer periphery of the battery post P. Further, thebattery terminal A includes the cam member 51 having the left and rightpressing surfaces 56 capable of pressing the outer side edges of thefastening pieces 36 (pressure receiving portions 39) and inclined withrespect to the axis line of the battery post P. Furthermore, the batteryterminal A also includes fastening members (fastening bolt 58 and nut61) for displacing the cam member 51 down with the pair of pressingsurfaces 56 held in contact with outer side edges of the fasteningpieces 36.

The terminal main body 10 has the inclination restricting portions 16capable of restricting lateral inclination of the cam member 51, the cammember 51 being slidable in contact with the inclination restrictingportions 16. According to this configuration, since the inclination ofthe cam member 51 is restricted by the inclination restricting portions16, the pressing surfaces 56 properly press the outer side edges of thepair of fastening pieces 36. This causes the fastening pieces 36 to beheld properly in close contact with the outer periphery of the batterypost P. Thus, operability in connection to the battery post P isexcellent.

Further, since the inclination restricting portions 16 are provided tosandwich the cam member 51 from opposite left and right sides, theinclination of the cam member 51 can be reliably restricted. Further,since the inclination restricting portions 16 are formed with thevertical receiving surfaces 17 with which the cam member 51 can slide incontact, the inclination of the cam member 51 can be reliably preventedby causing the cam member 51 to slide in contact with the verticalreceiving surface 17. Furthermore, since the cam member 51 is formedwith the vertical contact surfaces 57 slidable in contact with theinclination restricting portions 16, the inclination of the cam member51 can be reliably prevented by causing the vertical contact surfaces 57to slide in contact with the inclination restricting portion(s) 16.

Further, the cam member 51 is formed with the pair of vertical wallportions 54 slidable in contact with the outer side edges (arcuatesurfaces 45) of the pair of fastening pieces 36 and connected to thelower end parts of the pair of pressing surfaces 56. According to thisconfiguration, in the process of displacing the cam member 51 by thefastening members (fastening bolt 58 and nut 61), the vertical wallportions 54 slide in contact with the outer side edges of the pair offastening pieces 36 before the pair of fastening pieces 36 are pressedby the pressing surfaces 56. In this way, the pressing surfaces 56 pressthe pair of fastening pieces 36 while being kept in a proper positionalrelationship.

Further, the battery terminal A of this first embodiment includes theterminal main body 10 and the terminal main body 10 is formed with theleft and right fastening pieces 36 deformable to be held in closecontact with the outer periphery of the battery post P. The batteryterminal A includes the cam member 51 having the left and right pressingsurfaces 56 capable of pressing the outer side edges of the pair offastening pieces 36 and inclined with respect to the axis line of thebattery post P. Further, the battery terminal A includes the fasteningmeans 50 for vertically displacing the cam member 51 with the pair ofpressing surfaces 56 held in contact with the pair of outer side edgesof the fastening pieces 36. The fastening piece 36 is formed with thearcuate surface 45 composed of a curved surface slidable in contact withthe pressing surface 56. According to this configuration, since thepressing surface 56 and the fastening piece 36 are held not in surfacecontact, but in line contact when the pressing surface 56 presses thefastening piece 36, frictional resistance is suppressed low. Therefore,operability in connection to the battery post P is excellent.

Further, the pressure receiving portion 39 constituting the fasteningpiece 36 includes the base plate 42, the folded portion 43 connected tothe outer side edge of the base plate 42 and having the arcuate surface45, and the reinforcing plate 44 formed by extending the folded portion43 and placed on the upper surface of the base plate 42. According tothis configuration, the fastening piece 36 has a double-plate structure,wherefore the strength of the fastening piece 36 is enhanced. This canprevent the fastening piece 36 from being improperly deformed when beingpressed by the pressing surface 56.

Further, the lower member 11 constituting the terminal main body 10 isformed with the supporting plate 18 for supporting the fastening pieces36 from below and the left and right rotation preventing portions 20extending down from the left and right outer side edges of thesupporting plate 18 and configured such that the base 59 of thefastening bolt 58 constituting the fastening means 50 is fit theretowith the rotation thereof restricted. Furthermore, the lower member 11is formed with the bulges 21 projecting laterally out from areas of theleft and right outer side edges of the supporting plate 18 behind therotation preventing portions 20 (areas where the rotation preventingportions 20 are not formed) and configured to support the fasteningpieces 36 from below. According to this configuration, the fasteningpieces 36 can be reliably supported from below by the bulges 21 even ifa lateral spacing between the rotation preventing portions 20 facing inthe lateral direction is narrow and a lateral dimension of thesupporting plate 18 is small.

Furthermore, the fastening piece 36 is cantilevered substantiallyforward. The bulging portion 21 is arranged substantially at the sameposition as (in an area substantially corresponding to) the contactposition (rear end part of the pressure receiving portion 39) of thefastening piece 36 with the pressing surface 56 of the cam member 51 inthe front-back direction. According to this configuration, since thebulge 21 is arranged at a position close to a position of the fasteningpiece 36 where a pressing force from the cam member 51 is effectivelyreceived, the pressing force from the cam member 51 can be effectivelyreceived by the bulge 21. Thus, improper deformation of the fasteningpiece 36 can be prevented.

Second to Fourth Embodiments

Next, second to fourth specific embodiments of the present invention aredescribed with reference to FIGS. 16 to 18. Note that the substantiallysame or similar components as in the first embodiment are denoted by thesame reference signs and the structures, functions and effects thereofare not described.

A cam member 70 constituting or forming part of a battery terminal B ofthe second embodiment includes vertical walls 71 extending down longerthan in the first embodiment, and both inner and outer side surfaces ofthe vertical walls 71 serve as vertical contact surfaces 72. Inclinationrestricting portions 73 are arranged both at positions where they facethe vertical contact surfaces 72 on the outer side surfaces whilelaterally sandwiching the cam member 70 as in the first embodiment andat positions where they substantially face the vertical contact surfaces72 on the inner side surfaces of the vertical walls 71. That is, sinceone vertical wall is sandwiched by two inner and outer inclinationrestricting portions 73, the inclination of the cam member 70 isrestricted reliably.

A cam member 74 constituting or forming part of a battery terminal C ofthe third embodiment does not include parts corresponding to thevertical wall portions 54 of the first embodiment. Thus, the cam member74 is formed with no vertical contact surface. The posture inclinationof the cam member 74 is restricted by causing the lower end edges ofboth left and right ends of the cam member 74 to slide in contact withvertical receiving surfaces 17 of inclination restricting portions 16.Since the cam member 74 includes no vertical wall portion, a weightreduction and a material cost reduction can be realized.

Inclination restricting portions 75 constituting or forming part of abattery terminal D of the fourth embodiment are arranged not atpositions facing the outer surfaces of vertical walls 54 of a cam member51, but at positions substantially facing the inner surfaces of thevertical walls 54. Thus, the inner surfaces of the vertical walls 54function as vertical contact surfaces 76. The outer side surfaces of theinclination restricting portions 75 function as vertical receivingsurfaces 77.

Other Embodiments

The invention is not limited to the above described and illustratedembodiments. For example, the following embodiments are also included inthe technical scope of the present invention.

Although the fastening means is composed of the cam member, the bolt andthe nut in the above embodiments, the fastening pieces may be deformedto come closer by the bolt and the nut without using the cam member.

Although the conductor connecting portion for connecting the externalconductor is provided on the upper member in the above embodiments, itmay be provided on the lower member.

Although the supports (supporting plate and pressing portions) formed onthe lower member restrict relative displacements of the fastening piecesin both upward and downward directions in the above embodiments,displacements may be restricted in only one of the upward and downwarddirections by the supports.

Although the lower member is formed with the supports for supporting thefastening pieces in the above embodiments, such supports may not beformed.

Although the fastening piece is formed with the peripheral wall on theabove embodiments, it may be formed with no peripheral wall.

Although the peripheral wall projects up from the fastening piece in theabove embodiments, it may project down from the fastening piece.

Although the base portion of the fastening bolt is fit to the rotationpreventing portions in the above embodiments, the nut may be fit to therotation preventing portions.

Although the reinforcing plate is placed on the upper surface of thebase plate in the above embodiments, it may be placed on the lowersurface of the base plate.

Although the fastening piece is formed such the base plate and thereinforcing plate are placed one over the other in the aboveembodiments, the fastening piece may be composed of a single plate.

Although the supporting plate is formed with the bulges in the aboveembodiments, it may be formed with no bulge.

Although the base of the fastening bolt is fit to the rotationpreventing portions in the above embodiments, the nut may be fit to therotation preventing portions.

Although the inclination restricting portions are provided on both leftand right sides of the cam member in certain embodiments, theinclination restricting portion may be provided only on the left orright side of the cam member.

Although the inclination restricting portions are formed with thevertical receiving surfaces in certain embodiments, the inclinationrestricting portions may be formed with no vertical receiving surface ifthe cam member is formed with the vertical contact surfaces.

Although the cam member is formed with the vertical contact surfaces incertain embodiments, the cam member may be formed with no verticalcontact surface if the inclination restricting portions are formed withthe vertical receiving surfaces.

REFERENCE SIGNS

A, B, C, D . . . battery terminal

P . . . battery post

11 . . . lower member (first member)

15 . . . pressing portion (support)

16, 73, 75 . . . inclination restricting portion

17 . . . vertical receiving surface

18 . . . supporting plate (support)

20 . . . rotation preventing portion

21 . . . bulge

30 . . . upper member (second member)

31 . . . conductor connecting portion

33 . . . external conductor

34 . . . coupling

36 . . . fastening piece

41 . . . peripheral wall

42 . . . base plate

43 . . . folded portion

44 . . . reinforcing plate

45 . . . arcuate surface

50 . . . fastening means

51, 70, 74 . . . cam member

54, 71 . . . vertical wall

56 . . . pressing surface

57, 72 . . . vertical contact surface

58 . . . fastening bolt (fastening member)

61 . . . nut (fastening member)

What is claimed is:
 1. A battery terminal (A; B; C; D), comprising: aterminal main body (10); a pair of lateral fastening pieces (36) formedon the terminal main body (10) and deformable to be held in closecontact with an outer periphery of a battery post (P); a cam member (51;70; 74) having a pair of lateral pressing surfaces (56) capable ofpressing outer side edges of the pair of fastening pieces (36) andinclined with respect to an axis line (AL) of the battery post (P); afastening member (58; 61) configured to substantially displace the cammember (51; 70; 74) along the axis line (AL) with the pair of pressingsurfaces (56) substantially held in contact with a pair of the outerside edges of the fastening pieces (36); and at least one inclinationrestricting portion (13; 73; 75) formed on the terminal main body (10)and capable of restricting lateral inclination of the cam member (51;70; 74), the cam member (51; 70; 74) being slidable substantially incontact with the inclination restricting portion (13; 73; 75).
 2. Thebattery terminal of claim 1, wherein the inclination restrictingportions (13; 73; 75) are provided to sandwich the cam member (51; 70;74) from substantially opposite lateral sides.
 3. The battery terminalof claim 1, further comprising a vertical receiving surface (17) formedon the inclination restricting portion (13; 73; 75), the cam member (51;70; 74) being slidable substantially in contact with the verticalreceiving surface (17).
 4. The battery terminal of claim 1, furthercomprising a vertical contact surface (57; 72) formed on the cam member(51; 70; 74) and slidable substantially in contact with the inclinationrestricting portion (13; 73; 75).
 5. The battery terminal of claim 1,further comprising vertical walls (54; 71) formed on the cam member (51;70; 74) to be connected to the pressing surfaces (56) and slidablesubstantially in contact with the outer side edges of the pair offastening pieces (36).